Railway-switch



I o o I 1. ALONZO.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPucATloN man ymy 1.5, |920. y

1 ,399, 9 1 4. f Patented' Dec. 13,- 1921..

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RAILWAY SWITCH. APFLlCAT-ION FILED MAY I5, 1920.

'Patented 1166.13, 1921.

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N. @70h02 iz J. ALONZO.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. I92o.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

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1. ALONZO.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5, 1920..

Patented Da-.13,- 1921.

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RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15.1920. 1,399,914.

1. ALONZO.

ARAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLlcMloN- FILED MAY 15, |920.

Patented Deo. 1.3, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

I m .nnhdm Ya w 5| W JOHN ALONZO, 0F DEBORGIA., MONTANAn v RAILWAY-SWITCH. I

Yispeeificatioii of Letters Patent. Patented pag.1921-,

Application filed May 15, 1920. Serial No. 381,725.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALONZO, a subjectv of the King of Italy, residing at Deborgia, in the county of Mineral andState of Montana, have invented certain new vand useful Improvements in Railway-Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

.My-invention relates to improvements in railway switches of the type in'which the switch tonguesare movable vertically from end to end instead of having the usual pvotal Y movement. Switches of this general form have been heretofore devised, but my principal obj ect is to provide more efficient means for anchoring the fixed rails, guiding the switch tongues, and raising and lowering said tongues.

With the foregoing and minor objects'in view, the invention resides inthe novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accom-y panying drawings. l

Figures 1 and 1a jointly illustrate a top plan view lofa switch constructed in accordance with my invention. f

2 is a side elevation of a portion of the switch.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown at the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the plane indicated by line 4 4 of Fig.- 1 and Fig. 5 is a similar view on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 1a. v

Fig. 6 is an end view of one Vof the boxes which support the xed rails, guide the switch tongues, and contain the raising and lowering wedges for ,said tongues.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the Vbox shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 is a top plan view thereof. 1

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of one of the boxes shown at the left end of Fig. 1,*which boxes contain the master gears used operating the wedges. l

Fig. 10 is a side eleva-tion of the box shown in Fig. 9 and' Fig. 11 is a top plan view thereof. Y

Fig. 12 is aview similar to the left end of Fig. 2 but showing one of the wedges inV section and-'illustrating also the manner in which certain of said wedges are connected with the Vswitch tongues.

' Figs. 13 and 14 are kvertical transversefsections on the planes indicated bythe lines 13-13 Vand 14-14 of Fig.. 1.

v Figsl 1 5'. and 176` are respectively agtop. plan view and a side elevation of anangle'V iron. which carriesV aballast retaining strip. `Flg. 17 is :a plan view of one of the plates 47. y 'i Fig. 1 8'is anupper edge view Ofone of thev filler lstrips interposed between the switch tongues and the adjacent ixed'rails. Fig. 19is an upper edge view of one of the switch tongues` andFig. 20 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 21 is a top plan view of one of the longitudinal rack bars employed for operating theA wedges. v v l Fig. 22 is a top plan view of one end of oneof the r'line rails and the associated 'Y spacer.

'Fig.23 is a transverse section on the plane of line 28-#23 of-Fig. 22.l

Fig. 24 is a top planview of part-of the .Y

anchoring in Fig. 22. Fig. 25 is a detail vertical section on line 25-25 of Fig. 24.

In the drawings above briefly described, the character L designates the. continuous line rail while L refers to the other'line rail, aportion of the latter extending laterally to form one of thefrails' S of a siding. L2 refers to a line rail which receives the car wheels as they travel "from the straight p orf tion ofv the rail L", a vertically movable switch tongue -T beingr used to bridge the gap between these two rails. Rail -S coacts with rail S 'in forming the siding,`f and a vertically movable switch tongue Tis employed to direct the car wheels onto said rail S from the rail L. v 7

The several rails L, L" and S, are rigidly means of the line rail end shown supported by a plurality of metal boxes B,

B and B2, and all of these boxes with the exception of those indicated atv B1, serve to guide the switchtongues I` and T- as well as to contain rotary wedges for raisingV and lowering said tongues. The wedges inthe boxes B are designated by the character W while those in the boxes BZ-are referred to by ating bars Ov which servev to actuateI the wedges WV and W. y

Y in 4 place.

scription 'of these boxes will apply also to the boxes B2 with vthe exception thatv the latter are Y of slightly .greater size. `Each oftlieboxesin question (see Fig. 8) cornprises two sections 1 and 1 .which may secured together by means ofbolts 2 passing through lateral ears 3. These sections however may bel separated to any required extent by separators t interposed between thesec'tions 1 and 1, and the thickness of such separators depends upon the distance which the rails are spaced apart on the box.

Eachof the 'separatorset is preferably provided withlateral lugs 5 received rec'esises' in the ends of the two sections V1 and 1, to eectively hold said separators Each section 1 and' 1 of the box B coni sistszof a bottom plate 7, a pair oi' sidewalls Ati() 8 Aand aztop plate 9, and the plate 9 or" each section 1 'is lacking between apair of *opposed. notches 10 formed inthe side walls 8, whereby to form guides to. receive the switch tongue T or T. The bottom plates 7 are providedv Awith suitable holes 11 to receive spikes by means of which the boxes are secured to suitable ties 12, and they outerl end o'f'leachsection 1 is also provided Ywith a vertically elongated spike receiving guide 13 Jfor a purpose yetl to be described. Adjacent this guide, the top plate 9 is provided with an upstanding lug 14: whichcoacts with the notches 1()l in guidingl the switch tongues. This lug however need not beprovided on every box, it being usually sulicie'nt to equip the alternate boxes with this feature. .v

`The' opposedV side walls 8 are providedv slots 15 through which the `operating bars O are slidable, said bars having rack teeth jlimeshing with gear teeth 17 which are carried bythe lower sides ofthe wedges and W. Each of the wedges lV cornprisesa circular body 18 and a pair of 0pp'osed inclined wedge surfaces 1,9 upon which the switch tongue rT or T rests, and whenever the wedges stand as seen in Fig. 4, the tongue will be raised, while turning'of the wedges to the position ot Fig. 5, will lower f 1 and 1V?, and said boxesB, a detail of which is 'shown in Fig. 12, contain'the wedges V5.7 which differ from those above described, in that they are provided with laterally extendiiig-ii'ang'es 2O having the same inclination as their inclined wedge surfaces 19.

The flange 2O of each of the wedgesl/V overrides a roller 21 carried by an L-shaped uarin 22 which is suitably secured at 23to the base of the switch tongue T or T. Tt

"thuis follows that since the wedges cannot vertically within theirY retaining` inove boxes, the switch tongues cannot creep with respect to said wedges, nor can such tongues fail'to lower when the wedges are properly turned.

suitable Iineans Vmay. be employed for rotatably mounting the severalwedges, but n ldpreter that shouldered cap screws 24C shall be used for this purpose, said screws passing through openings in the wedges and being threaded into the base plates 7 oi the boxes. It desired, these boxes maybe provided with machined bosses 25 upon which the wedges rest as Vshown for instance in'Figs. et, 5 and 12.

Theboxes B lare constructed in substantially thek sameinanner -as those vabove described butyno supporting wecges need'be mounted in these boxes since the ends of the switch tongues'under Vwhich they are located, support no weight of the Ycar wheels, such n weight at this point `being. carried by the rails L and L.7 Furthermore, as showniii Figs. 9, lOYaiid 11, these boxes are provided i withA no tongue guiding notches, althougli theirV upper sides are. preferably equipped Vwith bosses 14C for this purpose. Where the ends ofthe tongues pass over the boxes B, their lower sides are preferably cut away as shown in dotted lines at 26 in Fig. 3 andin i'iull lines in Fig. 20. Each box B is provided in one oit its vertical sides with a notch 27 through which the master gear may ywell be of the L-shape shown in Figs.

9 and 11. The box B is also formed with slots 15" corresponding to the slots 15 to receive the longitudinal operating bars The gears G may be mounted in any desired way within the boxes B, butv yvertical spindlesi24- carried rigidly by the bottoms of said boxes, are preferablyA employed,V as detailed in Fig. 9.l l i The ends vof the several boxeswhich are equipped with the lugs le or 1a', are posi-V tioned inwardly, and angle metal plates 30 (Figs. 1, 1a, 15 and 16) rest on these ends of the boxes and are notched as at 31 wherever a lug'is encountered. The horizontal part vof each plate 30 is secured by'spilres 32 which pass through the spike guides 13 above described and enter the ties 12 as seen most clearly in Figs. and V5. The vertical ianges of lthe plates 30 abut the adjacent rails, while the horizontal'Y portions ot said plates are secured by any preferred 'G projects into proximity ywith a guide 28 .f

ltOY

means to longitudinal strips 33 which rest on the ties and extend substantially throughout the length of the switch. These strips 33 serve to retain ballast between the two sets of rails at the opposite sides of the switch.

Forming continuations of the plates 30, at the ends thereof adjacent the siding S and S, are two anchor-plates 30 which are shown in Figs. 1a, 24 and 25, the horizontal flanges of these plates being spiked down at 32', while their vertical flanges carry metal bars 34 at one end, the inner endsof these bars being shouldered at 35 to engage corresponding shoulders 36 on the pointed ends of the rails Sand L2, as shown in Fig. 12l and 22. The shoulders 36 are also formed in part on the ends of spacing bars 37 shown in the same figures, said bars being interposed'between the plates 30 and the rails L2 and S. The spacing bars 37 are rigidly secured to the rails by rivets or the like 38 as indicated in F ig; 22, and bolts 39 assist in securing these parts together. The bolts 39 at one side ofthe track pass through the upstanding iiange of the plate 30', through the spacing bar 37, through the rails S and L, and through aspacing block 40 located between these rails as seen in Fig. l?. The bolts '39 at the opposite side of the track however passthrough the rails L and L2, through a spacing block 40 between them, through the spacing bar 37 and the upst-anding liange of the plate 30. This is shown in Fig. 1?, Fig. 22, and in Fig. 23.

Extending from the spacing blocks 40 and 40 to the opposite ends of the switch, are a pair of spacers 41 and 41', these spacers being shown in several of the sectional views and in Figs. 1 and 1a. Furthermore, a detail of the spacer 41 is shown in Fig, 18. The spacer 41 is located between the tongue T and the rail L .to assist in guiding the former and to prevent tilting thereof, while the spacer 41 is locatedpbetween the rail L and the tongue T and performs a similar function on the latter.- The shoulders 35 and 36 above described prevent the thinned ends of the rails'S and L2` from being crowded over against the tongues T' and T and binding the latter tightly against the spacers 41, so that said tongues are free to move vertically whenever necessary. Preferably, the

' plates 30 which carry the shoulders 35, are

equipped with strips '33 forming continuations of the strips 30 and serving the same purpose as the latter.

The line rails L and L could be anchored upon the several boxes in any suitable manner, but the details shown are preferablyT followed. Suitable rail braces and anchors 45 are secured by bolts or the like 4 6 to the top platesl ofthe box sections 1, and longitudinal plates 47 are preferably interposed between such boxes and anchors as shown.

v,The switch tongues T and T, reference being nowmade solely to Fig. 9, are straight between the lines 48, while the opposite ends of said tongues turn obliquely in opposite directions as indicated at 49, and in order that the several supporting wedges of these tongues may be positioned substantially under the centersof the latter, I construct the operating bars 0 of the same general shape as the switch tongues, as seen clearly in Fig. 21. In order that this 'may be successfully accomplished and that the teeth 16 for each ofthe wedges shall move on parallel lines when the bar is shifted, l construct this bar of stepped form, preferably employing a plurality of short sections 50 secured together by rivets or the like 51.

`W hen the bar 0 is operated to raise `the switch tongue T, the tongue T is correspondingly lowered, with the result that a train approaching in the direction of the arrow of Fig 1, will travel from the'track Lelong the raised tongue T onto the siding rail S, and along the rail'L to the siding rail S. Vhen tongue T. is ra-isedhowever, tongue T is correspondingly lowered with the result that the train continues on the main line, a part of which is now formed by said tongue T.

The construction employed is of great advantage in that it effectively anchors all of the rails, guides the switch tongues, and forcibly raises or lowers such tongues uniformly throughout their lengths. Furthermore, the form of switch disclosedv is not prone to clog with lsnow and ice as is the case with the ordinary pivoted tongue switches. as small as possible to admit onlyv an ininitesimal amount of ice or dirt and hence the moving parts therein will not be jamined. Also, these parts are protected by the boxes and the several plates above described.

The flanges 20 on-the wedges W not only forcibly lower the switch tongues, but they prevent vany longitudinal movement of such tongues. There are fewerl parts employed than in most switches of the general type disclosed and the switch operating parts are substantially on the same level with the track, vin actual4 practice, the switch supporting ties being only four inches lower Vthan the other ties. The several filler alocks be made.

The boxes B, B and B2 are made 105A l claim: l. il railway switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically throughout its length, a plurality oi horizontal rotary wedges supporting said tongue and mounted on vertical axes, and means for` simultaneously turning all of said wedges.

2,. i railway switch comprising a switcl tongue movable ,vertically throughout it longitudinal ement, said wedgeshaving gear teeth, and a longitudinal rack bar meshe ing with said gear teeth, said rack bai" being stelfped for proper engagement with the gear teeth and having its individual steps disposed on parallel line".

`tructui'e as speciiicd in claim 3, the steps of said rack bar being tormed of separate sections, said sections being rigidly secured together,

ii switch compising a pair of switch- 'novable vertically throughout their two se ies of horizontal wedges supch tongues and mounted on gli in i

ci zal axes, wedges having gear teeth,

master i ted at the ends of said se- 40 ries of wdges, a pair of longitudinal raclr` bars meshing with said master gears and with the teeth oi" wedges, a 'ransverse rack meshing also with said master gears, and guiding means for said rack bars.

Y6. A switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically tl roughoutits lengt-h, a plurality of bones supporting the adjac :it switch rails and having means for guiding sai@ tongue, means within said boxes tor raising and lowering said tongue, and means for operating all of said raising and lowering means in unison. Y

'7. i switch comprising a switch tongue Ymovable vertically throughout its length, afpl` 1ity ot boxes supporting the adjacent rails and having means for guiding said tongue, a plurality of horizontal wedges mounted in said boxes on vertical axes for raising Vand lowering said tongue, and means for simultaneously turning all of said wedges.

S. il switch comprising'a switch tongue movable ivf'ertically throughout its length, a plurality of boxes supporting the adjacent rails and having means for guiding said length, a plurality of horizontal rotaryl Ytceth'on all wedges, and'nieans for sliding.

cbt the 'tongue and being therefore out or" Y tongue, a plurality of horizontal wedges mounted in said boxes on vertical axes for raising and lowering said tongue, said wedges having gear teeth, and a' longitudi- 1 switch rails and having openings leadingthrough theirupper sides tor guiding said tongue, opposite vertical sides oit said bones havingslots, a longitudinal rack bar passing Y through said slots and extending across th boxes, and a plurality oi' horizontal wedges' mounted in said boxes on vertical aires for raising and lowering. sail tongue, said soY wedges having gear teethrmeshing with the y.

teeth of said rack bar. Y

10. .A switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically throughout its length, a plurality ol boxes supporting the adjacent switch rails Vand having means 'for guiding said tongue, said boxes being extensible length according to the increasing distance between the rails, means withinsaid boxes for raising and lowering the switch tongue, and means 'for Vsimultaneously actuating all of said raising and lowering means..

l1. A switchcomprisingaswitch tongue movable vertically throughout its length, plurality oi Vbones supporting the adjacent switch vrails and having means 'for :guiding said switch tongue, said boir'es being composed ot sections separable according to the .increasing distance between Ythe rails, means for rigidly securing said sect-ions in vadjusted position, means within said bones tor open ating the switch tongue, and means tor simultaneously actuating allot said tongue operating means.Y v

l2. A switch comprising a switch'tongue movable vertically throughoutits length, a plurality oic boxes supporting theadjacent switch rails land liz'ivingy means lor guiding said switch tongue, said boxes being composed of sections separable accordingto the llO increasing distance between the rails, sepa rators adapted to be interposed between said boX sections, vmeans for securing said sec-` tions and separators tightly together, means in said boxes for operating the switch tongue,

and means tor simultaneously actuating -all of said tongue operating means.

13. A. structure as specified in claim l2, Said box sections and separators having interlitting lugs and recesses to hold said separators in place. Y Y

lll. A switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically throughout its length, a plurality of horizontal wedges supporting said tongue and mounted on vertical axes, means for simultaneously Yrotating said wedges, and connections between certa-incl iis iso

said wedges and said tongue for positively lowering the latter. D

l5. A switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically throughout its length, a plurality off horizontal wedges supporting said tongue and mounted on vertical axes, means for simultaneously rotating said wedges, and connections between certain ot said wedges and said tongue for positively lowering the latter and tor holding said tongue against longitudinal shitting.

16. A switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically throughout its length, a plurality oi horizontal wedges supporting said tongue andmounted on vertical axes, means for simultaneously turning all ot said wedges, flanges on certain of said wedges following the lines ot their wedge surfaces, and means on the switch tongue engaging said flanges for positively lowering the switch tongue.

17. A switch comprising a switch tongue movable vertically throughout its length,'a plurality ot horizontal wedges supporting said tongue and mounted on vertical axes, means for simultaneously turning all of said wedges, flanges on certain oi" said wedges, following the lines of their wedge surfaces, and L-shaped arms depending from the switch tongue and having rollers underlying said flanges to positively lower the tongue.

' 18. A switch comprising a switch tonguek movable vertically throughout its length, a plurality of boxes supporting the adjacent switch rails and having means :tor guiding said tongue, horizontal wedges mounted in said boxes on vertical axes for operating said tongue, said wedges having gear teeth, a longitudinal rack bar extending across the several boxes and in meshI with the gear teeth of said wedges, an additional rail supporting box at one end .of the switch, a master gear mounted in said additional box and projecting through an opening in the side thereof, said master gear meshing withl said longitudinal rack bar, aV transverse rack bar meshing also with said master gear, and guiding means for said transverse rack bar carried by said additional box.

19. A switch including a vertically movable switch tongue having an oblioue end, a rail having a' tapered end overlapping said switch tongue end, an anchor rigidly secured to the support-ino structure of the railway, and abutting shoulders on said anchor rand said tapered rail to prevent the latter from crowding against and binding said tongue end. j

20.'A switch including a vertically movable switch tongue having an oblique end, a railv having a tapered end overlapping said tongue end, a longitudinal plate rigidly Vsecured to the supporting structure of the railway' and having an upstanding ange, a bar secured to said flange and interposed between one end ot the latter and said tongue, said lbar having a shoulder on its inner end, and a spacing bar secured between said :flange and said tapered rail end, said spacing bar and said rail end being shouldered yto coact with the aforesaid shoulder tor preventing crowding .ot the switch tongue by' said rail end. Y

2l. The combination with Va' railway switch having a plurality of boxes supported on ties and carrying` the several rails; of a longitudinal plate secured upon said boxes and abutting the adjacent rails, and a ballast retaining strip carried by said plate and extending to the ties.

22. An' prising a prising a base plate, two side lplates and a top plate, said box being adapted tocontain operating VmeansV tor a switch tongue `and having its upper portion notched to guide the tongue.

23. An article ot manufacture comprising a horizontally elongated boxadaptf ed to support switch rails and provided with being'exte'nsible in length accordingfto the increasing distance between the rails.

`2A. An article of manufacture comprising a horizontally elongatedbox adapted to support switchrails and provided with guiding means for a switch tongue, lsaid box Vbeing 'formed ot sections adapted to be separticle of. manufacture coinhorizontally elongated box com.

guiding means for a switch tongue. saidbox means Jfor rigidly securing said sections to-.

gether in adjusted position.

25. An article ot manufacture compris-v ing a lhorizontally elongated box adapted to support switch rails and provided with'guiding means ltor-'a switch tongue, said box being formed of sections adapted to be separated varying distances according to the increasing 'distances between thev rails, a separator adapted to be interposed between said sections when the latter are spaced, and

means for rigidly securing said sections andy separator together.

26. A structure as specified in claim 25, said separator and box sections havinn' interfittirig lugs and recesses Jror the purpose specified. Y v

27. An article of manufacture comprisinoa longitudinal switch-operating rack bar of stepped formation with-teeth on its individual steps. L

28. A structure as specified in claim 27, said'raclr bar being formed ot individual sections secured together, each section forming one step of the bar.

In testimony whereof m hand. Y

y Jorrit atouzo.

l have hereunto set 

